This poetic and minimalist anthology presents 10 years of heritage of AIRES MATEUS design
studios at the Accademia di Archittettura di Mendrisio in Switzerland.100 images of largescale
models built by students of AIRES MATEUS are brought together to create a family portrait. Each
expertly staged model is pictured with the essential schemes necessary to understand the
volumes portrayed. Francisco and Manuel Aires Mateus' many years of experience in pedagogy and
the use of models in practice are brought together in a manifesto which precedes the anthology
of images. The importance of the model in the formation of architectural ideas and throughout
the design process as well as its potency as a standalone statement are highlighted. The
evocative photographs in this book reveal abstract spaces produced by artistic interpretations
of light volume and materiality.
